Sealing bars are widely used in the packaging industry. For example, pouching machines will frequently employ sealing bars to form hermetic seals along the edges of a pouch during the pouch-forming process and to close the formed pouch after filling. Sealing bars may also be adapted to include plastic zipper seals and other fitments into pouches and other packages.
When operating sealing bars, evenly distributed and properly aligned application of sealing forces is often critical to proper operation. If sealing bars are misaligned or apply pressure unequally over the length of the seal, problems ranging from an undesirable finished appearance to package failure may result. Consequently, sealing bars are typically mounted on extremely robust and heavy frames that will not flex or misalign during application of sealing forces. While such sealing bar assemblies have proven effective, further improvements are possible.